The Darkness Factor
by AsterikBoy
Summary: Final Part is up! Thanks, guys! Based on SA2. Once the space colony ARK was safe from crashing into the earth, the Sonic Crew brings Shadow back. But what is Dr. Eggman planning? And what is Project Nightmare? PG for violence and action.
1. The Darkness Factor, Ch. 1: Reincarnatio...

A shot of Dr. Eggman and Tails, staring out of the window into space.  
  
"Did he really mean to destroy us?"  
"I don't know."  
  
A shot of Sonic standing in place as Amy walks up.  
  
"The ultimate life form..."  
"What's wrong, Sonic?"  
  
A shot of Shadow, falling to his doom towards the Earth.  
  
"Maria...this is what you wanted, right?"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Sonic screams as he wakes up in a cold sweat, in his bed back at home. Suddenly, Tails rushes into the room.  
  
"Sonic!! What's the matter!!??!"  
  
Sonic gasps a few times, then recollects himself and looks at his duo-tailed companion. "Oh, Tails...it's nothing! I just had a dream of when the colony was about to crash to Earth...this makes the third time in a month!"  
  
Tails considers this a moment. "I don't know, Sonic. It's certainly something to think about. Well, i'm going to fix breakfast. Come out when you're ready."  
  
"Thanks Tails." Sonic replies as he gets out of bed, makes the bed, then places on his sneakers, running into the kitchen. After breakfast, the Blue Wonder rushes off.  
  
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The Darkness Factor  
Part 1: Reincarnation and Revenge  
*~*Amy Rose's House*~*  
  
Hearing a knock, Amy answers the door in her pink skirt and red bow, though she's wearing lavender shoes today.   
  
"Oh, hi Sonic!" Was her reply with a smile. Sonic smiles back.  
"Hey, Amy. What's going on?"  
"Oh, nothing much! But, I did have a weird dream last night..."  
"About the colony, right?"  
Amy looked puzzled. "How did you know?"  
"I had the same dream last night. Do you think it has anything to do with Shadow's destruction?"  
"It might have." Amy shrugged. "Why don't we ask Tails about it?"  
Sonic thought about it, then snapped his fingers. "Great idea! Let's get going!"  
"Yay!" Amy grabbed hold of Sonic's shoulders as they sped off towards his house.  
  
*~* Sonic and Tails' House *~*  
  
Tails is sitting in a chair, reading the manual for the Cyclone 2, when they rush in. "Hey Sonic! Why the rush?"  
"Tails, can you look up the information on Project Shadow?" Sonic asks.  
  
Tails is shocked for a moment, staring at Sonic. "Why do you need to find stuff on that?"   
"We think that our dreams have something to do with Shadow's destruction. We need to know how he was created. If we can find his genetic code and implant it into a new form, we might be able to bring him back!" Sonic enlightens. Tails just stares at him, jaw wide open. Finally, he gets the strength to speak.   
  
"O-of course...I can find where he landed, and you can bring him back here, while I look it up through the military files."  
  
Tails begins typing in coordinates, as he searches for Shadow's remains...  
  
*~* Pyramid Cave *~*  
  
Dr. Eggman is using his computer network to hack into the military's security systems, finally coming across the database. A grin escapes his moustached face as he opens what he was looking for: Project Shadow.  
  
*~* Death Valley, California *~*  
  
Sonic and Amy are digging through the rubble of a crater which occured fairly recently. The police had already lost interest in the affair, and the public already had a tourist crater, so it was of no tourist interest. Sonic notices a peculiar-looking, yet slightly broken, pair of black legs and green air shoes. Rushing over, he motions Amy, and they both begin clearing away the debris until they uncover the deceased, yet undamaged, Shadow The Hedgehog. Amy looks away and starts crying, while Sonic hoists the body over his left shoulder, wrapping his right arm around Amy's waist, and takes off towards home before anyone got suspicious.   
  
*~* Sonic and Tails' House *~*  
  
Tails is clicking away at the keyboard, noticing Sonic come in with a crying Amy and a dead Shadow.  
  
"So you found him, huh? All right! Let me check him out..."  
  
Going through a routine medical exam, Tails notices that, while there is no pulse, heartbeat or body temperature, miraculously, nothing was bruised, broken, or otherwise harmed. Pulling off his latex gloves, he nods and picks up the folder he had marked "Shadow".   
  
"All right! Now, all we need to do, is install a new life support system, and we'll be all set! Apparently, Shadow's body was built to withstand a nuclear attack. Unfortunately, his life support system was second-rate, and broke with an extreme impact. Once I put in my own machine, he'll be ready to go!"  
"All right!" Sonic says. "Let's get to it!"  
"Yes!" Tails replies, and holds a wrench high in the air.  
  
*~* Pyramid Cave *~*  
  
"Yes!" Eggman says as he holds up a fist. "I have done it! I've finally built a counterpart to rid myself of that incompetant hedgehog once and for all! Awaken, Nightmare!!!"  
  
Eggman watches on, as a hedgehog of medium build, totally black save for the white gloves and blue stripes through its hair. The male hedgehog wakes himself up, neon green eyes glowing in the darkness of the chamber. Looking at Dr. Eggman, he breaks through the chamber, throwing glass everywhere. Eggman gulps, until he notices Nightmare speaking to him.  
  
"Thank you for awakening me, master. For this, I will grant you one wish."   
  
Eggman smirks, then guffaws loudly. "Nightmare, good morning! My wish, is for you to destroy this hedgehog!!!!" Pointing to a screen, Eggman shows a large photo of none other than Sonic the Hedgehog.   
  
*~* Sonic and Tails' House *~*  
  
Shadow opens his eyes with a blink, noticing two hedgehogs, blue and pink, standing over him. "Unnh....where am I? Sonic? Is that you?"  
  
Sonic smiles, and helps Shadow to his feet. "Yeah, it's me! Welcome back, buddy! You took quite a fall a while ago..."  
"So I saved the planet? I granted Maria's wish?"  
"Yes, Shadow...you did..."  
Shadow nods. "Of course...now it is done. Since you brought me back, I will grant you one wish."  
Sonic only shakes his head. "The only wish I have is that you stay alive, and be our friend."  
"In that case, consider it done!" Shadow opens the front door. "Care for some exercise in a race?"  
Sonic only grins. "Do you know who I am?"   
  
With that, they both take off for a very speedy marathon. Amy sighs, and has a seat next to Tails. "Sometimes I think Sonic doesn't like me..."  
Tails only pats Amy on the back. "Don't say that, Amy! Of course he does! He just has a lot to do, and a lot on his mind...it's okay! Why don't you head home and try to get some rest?"  
Amy nods and smiles, hugging Tails. "Thanks, Tails! I'll see you later!"  
"Later, Amy!"   
  
As the pink female hedgehog heads towards her domicile, Tails comes across a file from Dr. Eggman's computer while trying to crash his system yet again. "Project Nightmare??! Uh oh..."   
  
Looking into the file more extensively, the tan fox-boy doesn't notice the black figure standing in the darkness of the corner...  
  
-End Part 1  
  
Author's Notes: So, what do you think of it so far? R&R always welcomed! This will be, most likely, a 5-parter or so, expect more from me soon!  
  
-Pokejim  
  
"I think I would like people to play certain songs in the order of my existence's events: At my creation, there must be Stairway To Heaven going on. In life, Heal The Earth would be most appropriate. When I die, I want to hear them blaring Highway To Hell over every loudspeaker in a 10 mile radius."   
  
-Jimmy Townsend 


	2. The Darkness Factor, Ch. 2: Nightmare Re...

******Author's Note******  
  
One thing I forgot earlier!   
  
Disclaimer: I no own Sonic! Sega and now Nintendo owns him! I own nothing! Probably not even Nightmare! Sega can have him, if they'll put him in a new game! I'd pay to play that! On with the story!  
  
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~*~ Sonic and Tails' House ~*~  
  
Sonic opens the front door, stalking in dejectedly, his head lowered. Shadow follows soon after, still with an indignant look on his face. Sonic looks at him, then sighs in mock anger.  
  
"All right, you beat me. THIS time. Next time, i'm gonna show you why they call me The Blue Wonder!"  
"Hmph. We'll see about that, hedgehog."  
  
Suddenly, Shadow notices a glint in the corner of his eye. Quickly turning around, he rushes to the corner, and pulls out a battered and beaten Tails, laying him down upon the kitchen table. Sonic rushes to his aid, noticing the unconscious fox-boy.   
  
"Tails!! Buddy!! Speak to me!!! Wake up!!!"  
  
The Darkness Factor  
Chapter 2: Nightmare Revelations   
  
Darkness. Silence. Then, dim light, and voices.   
  
"Tails!! Buddy!!"   
  
Brighter light. Louder voices.  
  
"Speak to me!!! Wake up!!!"  
  
Flickering his eyes, the young Tails stares blankly up at an aqua-colored hedgehog.   
  
"Sonic...? Is that you?"  
  
"Tails! What happened here!!?"  
  
"Well....I was just surfing through, deleting Eggman's files, when I came across something called....Project Nightmare..."  
  
"Project Nightmare?" Sonic inquires. "What's that?"  
  
"According....to what I read....Project Nightmare is Dr. Eggman's newest creation using the data from Project Shadow which I assume he stole from the military. He was designed to surpass Shadow's power by implementing DNA from the prototype of the ultimate life form, the Biolizard. Apparently, its arm had floated into the colony, so Eggman must have taken a sample before heading back to Earth. From the pictures i've seen, Nightmare looks like Shadow in every way, except for a few blue quills in its hair. I think that's what attacked me, and threw me in the corner...."  
  
Sonic took this oppurtunity to scowl. "Dr. Eggman....he's messed with us for the last time! I'll call Amy to watch over Tails! Shadow, you go on ahead and sneak in the back of the desert, then meet me in the core of the Pyramid Cave!"   
  
And with that, Shadow dashed out the door, while Sonic reached for the phone. In less than a minute, the cute pink companion of Sonic opened the front door of their house, holding a First-Aid kit and wearing a white skirt uniform.  
  
"Never fear, Amy Rose is here!"   
  
"Amy, you take care of Tails! I'm about to stop an Eggman....once and for all!"   
  
Rushing out the door in his usual fashion, Sonic spins through town. Amy just sighs, and Tails looks a little forlorn.  
  
"What's the matter, Tails?"  
"I forgot to tell Sonic.....if Eggman stole the technology from the military.....chances are they'll want to keep it quiet and contained.....at all costs..."  
  
Amy gasps, but holds back any feelings as she quietly patches up Tails.   
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave ~*~  
  
Dr. Eggman sits patiently in his chair, glancing at the security monitors from time to time, when a streak of blue bursts through the door. Not turning around, he replies casually.  
  
"Ah, Nightmare. I see you're back already. Did you take care of that nuisance Sonic like I asked?"   
  
What he heard next, from a voice he quite recognized, drove his blood cold.   
  
"I wouldn't say that just yet, EGGMAN!!"  
  
The mad scientist turned around, and glared at the blue wonder. "SONIC!!! YOU!!! What are you doing here??!"   
  
"I came to stop your plans....and Nightmare!"  
  
"Nightmare?!?! But how did you know about-" Eggman sat there. "....Tails...."   
  
Before Sonic could reply with a spinning attack, a voice boomed through the pyramid on a loudspeaker.  
  
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE AND PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!!! YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE ENGAGED!!!"   
  
Eggman looked furious. "The military!!! I KNEW they would find me out sooner or later!!"   
  
Jumping out of his chair, he pressed a button on his control panel, opening up a wall to show none other than his Flying Egg Machine. Hopping in, he opens the roof of the room. Sonic becomes annoyed.   
  
"And just where do you think YOU'RE going??"  
  
Eggman began to take off, as he gave his advice. "The same place you should be going if you want to stay alive! OUT OF THIS PYRAMID!!!!" On that note, Eggman takes off, and attempts to outrun the helicopters now pursuing him. Sonic, however, is not so lucky. As soon as he is about to rush out the door, several agents burst through the door with shotguns. Of course, Sonic's not one to let a little thing like being outnumbered stop him, and uses his Bounce attack to smack down upon their heads. The ones that weren't confused, kept firing their weapons at him, but to no avail, as he uses his Rolling Spin attack to knock them unconscious, then speeds out the door. The rest of the trip is quite uneventful, until he gets to the entrance, where he notices several Flying Dogs and Hot Shots. Sonic stops in his tracks, and lowers his head as the guards rush in from behind, guns pressed against his back.   
  
"Come with us. Now."   
  
Walking along, he gets into the helicopter in handcuffs, once again off to prison for interrogation.   
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Rear Entrance ~*~  
  
Shadow rushes to the door, looking around. Once sure he was not followed, he opened the door. But not before hearing a voice behind him.   
  
"Going somewhere?"   
  
Whipping around, he sees an ominous figure, and glares at it. "Nightmare."   
  
-End Part 2  
  
Author's Notes: Short chapter, I know, it's crazy. But i'm tired, and thus far, out of ideas. Give me R&R, and it'll help. Thank you. 


	3. The Darkness Factor, Ch. 3: Confrontatio...

Disclaimer: I no own Sonic! Sega and now Nintendo owns him! I own nothing! Probably not even Nightmare! Sega can have him, if they'll put him in a new game! I'd pay to play that! On with the story!  
  
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~*~ Pyramid Cave Airspace ~*~  
  
The wind blows in the dusty deserts near Pyramid Cave. However, such wind is manipulated by the movement of helicopter blades. Two pairs of such blades were occupying the area that day. One was just taking off, escorting the heroic hedgehog to prison for interrogation. The other was currently chasing after genius and world-renowned crackpot Dr. Eggman. Looking back, the doctor growls to himself.  
  
"I knew this was going to happen! If only I had my Egg Walker, I could blast them out of the sky! No matter."  
  
Reaching into the interior of the cockpit, Eggman pulls out a strange-looking sphere.   
  
"I'll just blast them myself!"   
  
With expert aerialistic skill, he swoops his Flying Egg Machine under, and then above, the helicopter. In the pilot's confusion, he hovers above the blades.   
  
"This will finish you!"  
  
With that, he tosses the sphere towards the blades, taking that oppurtunity to high-tail it out of the vicinity. Flying off as quickly as possible, he doesn't notice the shocked looks on the pilot's face permanently etched there as the chopper goes up in a fiery ball, hurdling towards the sandy earth below them. Dr. Eggman grins, and takes off away from his base once more.  
  
The Darkness Factor  
Chapter 3: Confrontations and Interrogations  
  
~*~ Sonic and Tails' House ~*~  
  
Amy Rose, clad in her nursing skirt and shirt, patches up the final injuries of Tails the fox.   
  
"There! You're all set!"  
  
"Thanks Amy!" Tails interjects. "I feel much better now!"  
  
Amy smiles at this. "No problem, Tails! I'm worried about Sonic, though....shouldn't he be back by now?"  
  
"Hey, you're right! He never takes this long to beat Eggman! I'm going to find out what's going on!" Tails stands up, and slightly limps out the door, and towards the garage. Opening the door swiftly, he climbs into the pilot's seat of the Cyclone 2. Flipping a switch, he brings the machine to life. A light on the control panel flickers as he pulls it out into the yard.   
  
"Tails! Wait for me!" Amy yells as she runs towards the device.  
  
"Amy! You stay here! It's too dangerous! I've got to find out what happened to Sonic! You stay by the radio, and i'll call you when I know anything!"  
  
"But-" Amy would have finished the sentence, but Tails had already pushed the button.  
  
"Tornado....Transformation!!"  
  
Tails grips the chair tightly as the Cyclone changes forms, from a car-like form to a plane-like one. Lifting into the air on his orange and blue chariot, Miles "Tails" Prower takes off towards his destination: Eggman's base, inside the Pyramid Cave.   
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Rear Entrance ~*~  
  
"Nightmare." Shadow stands there in curiosity, seeing this Nightmare's picture on Tails' computer earlier.   
  
"Glad you know my name. Too bad it'll be the last name you'll ever hear!" Without hesitation, Nightmare proceeds to dash towards Shadow in a spinning attack. Shadow, lacking the Chaos Emerald to use Chaos Control, has no choice but to fight. Jumping high into the air, he counters Nightmare's attack with a spin of his own, cancelling them both out. While Nightmare's stunned from this, Shadow does a Spinning Aerial attack, crashing down on the newest life form's head, knocking him to the ground, barely chipping the surface. Shadow, for the first time in his life, seems shocked.  
  
"Impossible. You're supposed to be dead!"  
  
"I'm not just a hedgehog, you know. I am your superior." Nightmare takes this oppurtunity to slam straight into Shadow, knocking him back against the pyramid. "And you should treat me as your superior."  
  
Shadow shakes it off, glaring at Nightmare. "Then prove it."   
  
Nightmare leaps into the air and spirals downwards, catching Shadow off guard, but only enough to split his shoulder open. Bits of wire and artificial blood appear from the gash. Unfortunately, he made Shadow mad. And that's never good. This is proven as Shadow then runs circles around Nightmare as he watches on, unsure of his plan. Suddenly, Shadow bashes into him, sending the evil hedgehog reeling. Of course, Shadow isn't finished yet. He quickly runs after the flying hedgehog, and sends him flying in the other direction. He continues this game of 1 player tennis until Nightmare finally falls to the ground, dizzy and disoriented. Ultimately, Nightmare stands up, fighting to remain standing.   
  
"This....this is not over yet...."  
  
And so, Nightmare pulls off Eggman's secret addition to Project Nightmare. Shadow just stands there, eyes wide, as Nightmare fires off his incendiary weapon of choice. The last thing Shadow could see before it all went dark again, was a black hedgehog laughing above him, and a glint of orange in the distant sky.  
  
~*~ G.U.N. Military Base ~*~  
  
The helicopter, which only a few moments before was exiting a vast terrain, now lands on a helipad upon a new, and supposedly deserted, island. As the door opens, four men in combat uniforms and holding upgraded laser rifles similar to an M-16 walk out, surrounding a blue, handcuffed hedgehog with a forlorn look on his face. They escort him inside of an intricate yet very expansive military base, the guards using eye clearance to open the door. Once inside, they carry the hedgehog to a door, marked "Interrogation And Extrication". Once inside, they slap him down into the chair, and lock the door to the room as they depart. Confused, Sonic looks around.  
  
"Hey, where'd the party go?"  
  
"What do you know about Project Shadow?" came a booming voice from the loudspeakers in the corners of the room.  
  
"I don't know anything! I'm just a hedgehog!"  
  
The voice did not seem impressed. Rather, angry. "You're the hedgehog that destroyed our military base before, aren't you?"   
  
Before Sonic could reply, several men with those same suits and rifles burst in.  
  
"It looks like you've got no way out this time. Now, answer us truthfully, or face the consequences! WHAT do you know about Project Shadow??!"  
  
The cool blue hero gulped, and stood up in his chair proudly. "I. Know. Nothing."  
  
If he could have seen the voice's face, he could have sworn that it was grinning just then.   
  
"As you wish. Take care of him."  
  
Sonic watches as the guards stand in front of him, and take aim.   
  
"....it's over."   
  
Before they could reply, however, another voice came over the loudspeaker, this time sounding more feminine.  
  
"Release him."   
  
The guards look a little surprised.  
  
"What are you waiting for? Release him!!"  
  
Fearing their jobs and their lives, they untie him, remove the handcuffs, and open the door. Before walking out, Sonic asks one question.   
  
"Why the sudden change of heart?"  
  
The voice simply replies, "By orders of the President."   
  
That was all the answer the hedgehog needed, as he was led outside to a helicopter which was to take him home, whispering to the air.   
  
"Thank you, Rouge."  
  
~*~ Somewhere in the Desert ~*~  
  
Eggman continues his quest away from the base.   
  
"This is ridiculous! Running from my own work! Besides, the Chaos Emeralds are still inside! I HAVE to go back!"  
  
Turning back, Dr. Julius Eggman treks back towards his creation.  
  
~*~ Sonic and Tails' House ~*~  
  
Amy sulks in her chair next to a specially-built radio, crying her eyes out.   
  
"*Sniff* I miss everyone....Tails....Shadow....and....and...."  
  
She bursts into tears once more, crying for a good minute. The only thing able to disturb it was the sound of a chopper slowly descending on the house, and a certain blue hedgehog in the doorway, walking over to her.  
  
"Amy....why are you crying?"  
  
"SONIC!!!" At the sound of his voice, Amy practically pounces him, hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay!!!"  
  
Sonic urks, but smiles slightly and runs his hand down her hair. "I'm fine. Where's Tails?"  
  
"*Sniff* He went back to Eggman's base to see why you hadn't come back yet. NowHE'S gone!"  
  
Sonic slaps his head. "Tails! Amy, i'll be right back! You stay here, and wait in case he comes back!"   
  
Sonic then bursts out the door in his typical hurricane style of running. Amy sighs, sits down again, and sobs quietly.   
  
"Sonic....Tails.....please be okay....."   
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Rear Entrance ~*~  
  
Shadow had blacked out for nearly 30 minutes. Standing up groggily, he grabs his head.  
  
"Nightmare. Such a strong being. But, how? I am the ultimate life form! I cannot be beaten!"  
  
Unfortunately, what Shadow didn't notice was the blur of a black sphere leaping from the roof and colliding with his stomach, knocking them both through the wall, and many subsequent walls behind them.   
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Core ~*~  
  
After blasting a wide radius of Egg Bots, Tails and his Cyclone find their way to the center of the base. Tapping a few buttons on the slightly charred control panel, the kitsune finds himself staring at an opening bookshelf, revealing all 7 Chaos Emeralds. Tails gasps, and thinks to himself.  
  
"Eggman! He must have kept the Emeralds after we escaped from the ARK! That sneaky..."   
  
Tails didn't have time to finish his thoughts, however, as two midnight-colored figures come blasting through the nearby wall, causing the roof to cave. Tails made his way out the back way quickly, being followed by a single black hedgehog.   
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Rear Entrance ~*~  
  
Once outside, Tails picks up a reciever and radios Amy as rapidly as he can.  
  
~*~ Sonic and Tails' House ~*~  
  
Amy quietly sobs to herself, worried sick about both Sonic and Tails, when the radio begins to beep. Snapping out of her crying state, she quickly picks up the reciever and answers. "Hello? Tails? Is that you?"  
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Rear Entrance ~*~  
  
"Amy! It's Tails! The pyramid collapsed! I'm okay, but there's no sign of Sonic! I think Shadow was attacked by Nightmare, but he followed me out!"  
  
Looking at the grinning black hedgehog, he gulps.   
  
"Amy!! It's not Shadow!!! AAAAAAAAGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"   
  
Radio static.  
  
~*~ Sonic and Tails' House ~*~  
  
Amy drops the radio and gasps.   
  
"That's IT! I have to help them! They're doing their best, so I have to help out, too!"  
  
Grabbing her bow from her pocket and placing it in her hair, she runs out into the streets, trying to get there in time, taking the most direct route she knows.  
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Core ~*~  
  
Sonic blazes onto the scene, knocking debris aside as he stops himself. The first thing to grab his attention is the Chaos Emeralds arranged in a heptagon shape on a wall. The second thing to grab his attention was the slight movement of some rubble. Walking over to it, he uncovers it to find a very badly beaten Shadow.   
  
"....Shadow? Are you all right?"  
  
Shadow opens his eyes, his voice even hoarser than usual, things blurring themselves in his eyes. "S....Sonic.....how could this happen....? I'm the ultimate....*COUGH COUGH* life form....I fell to Earth, and I wasn't even damaged....why am I in such.....bad shape..."  
  
"Sssh.....save your strength, buddy...." Sonic pushes aside the rest of the rubble.   
  
"Sonic....listen.....Nightmare....he's....he's almost.....unbeatable....." Noticing the Emeralds behind Sonic, he thinks. "The Emeralds.....you must....use their power....it may be the only way.....please.....do it.....for the world...."  
  
That said, Shadow blacks out, into his second death, and an unrepairable body.  
  
"Shadow?.....Shadow????......SHADOW!!!!!!!!"   
  
Sonic beats on Shadow's chest, gripping his head tightly. Suddenly, he hears Tails scream from outside. The Blue Wonder has had enough. He grabs the Chaos Emeralds from the wall, and lifts them into the air. As they swirl around, he reaches his arm skyward, the energy surrounding him. As a golden light envelops his body, he emerges from it all, glowing a bright yellow color. Feeling the energy inside of him, he charges towards the back of the pyramid.  
  
*Ring Countdown Activated*   
  
50...  
  
Sonic blasts through the final walls of the pyramid, making his way outside. Noticing Tails on the ground in a heap, his Cyclone totally trashed, blood emerging from Tails' mouth, he darts at Nightmare, knocking him into the air very violently.   
  
40...  
  
Nightmare barely has time to recover before Sonic slams into the black hedgehog numerous times, from the left, then the right, then above, then below, then left again, then right again.   
  
30...  
  
Nightmare tries to retaliate by spinning towards Super Sonic, but it proves fruitless as he is knocked higher into the atmosphere. Sonic grabs Nightmare's arm, and tosses him downwards very quickly, following him every foot of the drop, hovering right above him.  
  
20...  
  
Nightmare crashes through the ground with a sickening thud, several parts cracking, wires and oil spilling all over the place.  
  
10...   
  
Super Sonic collides with Nightmare, totally destroying his form. Pieces of the evil 'hog are scattered across the landscape, as Sonic stands above it all, triumphant.  
  
0.  
  
*Ring Countdown Deactivated*  
  
Super Sonic loses every bit of power, and transforms back into the blue Sonic we all know and love. Running over to Tails, he lifts his head off of the ground. "Tails! Are you okay??!?!"  
  
Tails slowly gets to his feet with the aid of Sonic, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Yeah! Thank you for saving me! Nightmare caught me by surprise! I've been looking all over for you! We thought you were in there when the roof collapsed!"  
  
"Hey, what can I say? I die hard!" Sonic gives a grin and a "V" sign. Tails sighs, and laughs silently.   
  
"Anyways, we'd better get back. I bet Amy's worried about us. Especially you, Sonic."  
  
"You're not going ANYWHERE!"  
  
The two turn around to see Eggman flying above them, sphere-like object in hand. "You killed Nightmare!?!? By using MY Chaos Emeralds?!?!! THAT'S IT!!! I'M GOING TO DESTROY YOU!!!"   
  
Of course, this would have worked, had Amy not destroyed the Flying Egg Machine beneath the mad scientist's feet with her Storming Heart. Eggman falls to the ground, grenade flying way off into the distance.   
  
"Blast. Beaten by a little girl. I. Let. My. Guard. Down." Eggman takes this oppurtunity to faceplant in the sand, out cold.  
  
"Amy! Where did you come from? I thought I told you to stay there!" Sonic scolded.  
  
"I know, Sonic! But I was really worried about you both! Tails was attacked when he radioed me, and I thought you were already....gone...."   
  
She rushes into Sonic's arms sobbing, the blue hedgehog just holding her there gently for a few minutes.   
"Shhh....there, now....it's all right.....we're all fine! Cheer up a little!"  
  
Amy looks up at her hero, and smiles through her tears. "You're right....thank you..."  
  
Tails interrupts the two, holding a glowing bag and limping out of the inside of the temple. "Let's get out of here before Eggman wakes up and realizes we just switched the real Emeralds with my fake ones!"  
  
"Good idea!" Sonic adds, as he grabs hold of Amy, and dashes off towards home, as Tails simply flies the whole way, somehow keeping up. Sonic looks back momentarily before the pyramid is out of sight, and nods his head in respect. "Sayonara.....Shadow the Hedgehog."  
  
-End Part 3  
  
Author's Notes: Woo! Fun, huh? A little OOC, I admit, but I tried! Epilogue's coming soon, so don't lose faith in me yet! See you soon! Don't forget to read and review! 


	4. The Darkness Factor, Ch. 4: Resolution a...

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Sonic belongs to Sega and Nintendo, not me! I keep cookies! (Hides cookies)  
  
Author's Note: One more real chapter, then epilogue (I hope)! I'll keep you posted on any updates. Next chapter is....NOW!  
  
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~*~ Pyramid Cave Rear Entrance ~*~  
  
Silence. The desert surroundings making for a perfect spot to rest. Finally, a human body, albeit a large one, stirs from the sand. Dr. Eggman groans, then lifts himself up from the ground.   
  
"That hedgehog....him and his friends have ruined everything for me AGAIN!"  
  
Dusting himself off, he walks towards the Pyramid's central control system, mumbling to himself.  
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Core ~*~  
  
Eggman walks through the hole in the wall, and approaches the control panel, which is flickering from the damage the monitor took during the battle.   
  
"Sonic may have found my base on the Pyramid, but there is one place he has not found..."  
  
Grinning to himself, he strokes his reddish moustache while staring at the "real" Chaos Emeralds. Placing them in a special containment box, he presses a button on the control panel, and steps back. Suddenly, the center of the floor opens, and an elevator lift slowly pulls itself up to the ground floor. The bad doctor quickly hops on, and heads down the long shaft into the basement section, box in hand. Once there, he opens the door in front of him, making his way down a narrow hallway, to another door. Entering this room, he smiles as he notices what stands in front of him - a centralized computer network spanning in a circular pattern around the walls of the room, his Egg Golem resting in the center of the room. Walking towards the central machine, he places the blood red Chaos Emerald into a similarly-shaped hole. Typing away for a moment, he speaks to himself aloud.  
  
"If my calculations are correct, I should be able to use the Emerald to restart my Egg Golem, thus enabling me to trap them when they return to the Pyramid! All I need is some bait, and they will show themselves, so I may crush them once and for all! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! EXCELLENT!!!"  
  
Unfortunately, the one thing the doctor failed to notice, was that the Emerald was fake. The klaxxon of the alarm system alerted him well enough, however.  
  
"What in the world is going on??! Why is it not working!?!? I-"   
  
Dr. Eggman narrowed his eyes as he backed away from the machine which was now reaching critical mass.   
  
"Tails..."  
  
Those words were the last thing to go through his mind as the entire underground base went nuclear.   
  
~*~ Sonic and Tails' House ~*~  
  
Tails wipes the sweat from his brow as he lays the shovel upon the ground, staring at the flattened mound of dirt before him.  
  
"Whew....with these Emeralds buried, we'll never have to worry about Eggman finding these ever again!"  
  
Inside the house, Sonic is resting on the arm of the sofa, Amy lying upon his shoulder, asleep from worry and exhaustion. Sonic sighs, and stares up at the ceiling.  
  
"Shadow...we brought you back...and you left us once again...I hope now, at least, you will find rest."  
  
Satisfied with himself, he pulls a blanket over him and Amy, then drifts off to slumber.   
  
Tails smiles to himself, and begins to head inside, when he notices his Cyclone's radar beeping like crazy. Flying over to the cockpit, he puts it under close inspection, finally locating the issue.   
  
"There was an explosion! A gigantic one, at that! The energy must have been caused by the energy of the fake Chaos Emeralds put into a machine! Eggman just destroyed his own lab!"   
  
Somehow, Tails seems to find this funny, and begins to chuckle at the prospect of such a thing, and continues the laughter as he falls out of the Cyclone and onto the pavement.  
  
"I'm okay..."  
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Basement ~*~  
  
The underground basement of the Pyramid Cave now lie in ruins. Debris and scrap metal lie everywhere. Eggman sits in a corner, holding the stump that was once his arm, blood seeping from the wounds across his body. He sighs, and begins to crawl to the lift. Climbing aboard, he presses the button that lifts him back into the regular cave. As he gains hold of the bar with his remaining arm, he gets off of the lift once it stops, and begins work on what we can only assume is a new arm. With the roof gone and his arm missing, Dr. Eggman looks up to the sky, shakes his single fist at it, and yells with the remaining strength in his lungs.  
  
"I HATE YOU, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG!!!!! ONE OF THESE DAYS, YOU WILL DIE!!!!!!"   
  
~*~ Sonic and Tails' House ~*~  
  
Sonic stirs slightly, and blinks. "What was that?"   
  
Listening for a few seconds more, he shrugs. "Must be dreaming. Too many fights with Eggman, I guess."  
  
With that, he yawns, and dreams of sweetness.   
  
Tails simply looks at the sky after hearing that not so faint yell. "For a minute there, I thought I heard Eggman yelling. He's probably still angry over what I did. Oh well! No big deal! We'll get him next time, just like we did this time!"   
  
He then walks in the door, and towards his bed.  
  
~*~ Pyramid Cave Disposal ~*~  
  
A place covered in filth, and scraps. A hideaway for bacteria and the left behind. Somewhere in all the garbage, something stirs. And from the pile of metal, discarded foods, and paper, reaches a gloved hand with a black arm.  
  
-Fin  
  
  
Author's Note: Well, that's pretty much it. I really need to know how ridiculous it was. Because, *I* don't even believe it! Oh well. R&R is greatly appreciated! My next work will either be a Sonic fic with betrayal, or it will be something from the TV section! Opinions mucho wanted-o! See you later! 


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